Hillary Clinton pans Jeb Bush’s claim that Iraq pullout helped ISIS

The presidential hopeful hit back at Jeb Bush’s claim a ‘premature’ US pullout from Iraq fuelled Islamic State.

CLEAR LAKE, IA - AUGUST 14: Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at the Iowa Democratic Wing Ding August 14, 2015 in Clear Lake, Iowa. The Wing Ding is held at the historic Surf Ballroom, where Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens played their final concert, and featured Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Martin OÕMalley and Lincoln Chaffee. Win McNamee/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton has hit back at Republican rival Jeb Bush’s claim that a “premature” US pullout from Iraq fuelled the rise of Islamic State.

Mrs Clinton served as secretary of state under President Barack Obama during the rise of the militant group. In 2002, while serving as a US senator from New York, Mrs Clinton voted in favour of authorising the invasion of Iraq ordered by Jeb Bush’s brother and then president George W. Bush.

With the war dragging into a protracted, costly and unpopular conflict, she later called her decis­ion a mistake.

“I find it somewhat curious that Jeb Bush is doubling down on defending his brother’s actions in Iraq,” Mrs Clinton said yesterday on the campaign trail in Iowa. “If he’s going to do that, he needs to present the entire picture.

“And the entire picture, as you know, includes the agreement that George W. Bush made with the Maliki government in Iraq that set the end of 2011 as the date to withdraw American troops.”

Jeb Bush blamed Mrs Clinton for allowing the brutal emergence of Islamic State by withdrawing troops from Iraq too fast.

“That premature withdrawal was the fatal error, creating the void that (Islamic State) moved in to fill,” he told a crowd in California on Wednesday. “Rushing away from danger can be every bit as unwise as rushing into danger, and the costs have been grievous.”

Taking a political risk, Mr Bush even suggested it might be necessary to send more troops back to Iraq. “We have around 3500 soldiers and marines in Iraq, and more may well be needed.”

A successful invasion of Baghdad was followed by a ham-fisted occupation that fuelled brutal sectarian violence and left the central government debilitated. As well as being a point of contention betwee­n Republicans and Democrats, the conflict may have cost Mrs Clinton the 2008 Democratic nomination to Mr Obama.

The debate came as the Obamas and the Clintons — America’s two foremost Democratic families — mingled on swanky Martha’s Vineyard.

Mr Obama, halfway through his annual two-week getaway on the Massachusetts island, teed off in the afternoon with former president Bill Clinton, trading compliments on the first hole. Both presidents later joined Mrs Clinton at another Democratic luminary’s birthday party.

“Good!” said a spry-looking Mr Clinton after Mr Obama made his putt on the first hole at Farm Neck Golf Club in Oak Bluffs. The former president then knelt down to scope out his own putt before joining Mr Obama on a golf cart to be driven to the second hole.

Mrs Clinton’s poll numbers have dipped as criticism of her use of a private email server for government business mounts, leading some Democrats to give a renewed look at Vice-President Joe Biden as a potential 2016 challenger to the former first lady.

Mr Obama’s preference in the race has been the source of intense­ interest but he is not expected­ to endorse a candidate.

Rounding out the golfing foursome were former ambassador Ron Kirk and civil rights figure Vernon Jordan. Both Clintons were on the guest list for Mr Jordan’s 80th birthday party yesterday, along with the President, first lady Michelle Obama and their daughters, Sasha and Malia.

Mrs Clinton, who also planned to hold campaign fundraisers while on Martha’s Vineyard, arrive­d later in the day from Iowa.

AFP, AP